It is known that patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) during cardiac surgery (usually open heart surgery (in which the heart is opened with a cutting instrument), but sometimes also closed heart surgery (in which the heart is not opened with a cutting instrument)) run a risk of neurologic and neuropsychologic deficit, which are thought to be caused or exacerbated by some types of embolic debris that are known to be released into the aortic arch during cardiac surgery or CPB and are introduced into the cerebral circulation.
Various devices, systems and methods are known for use in CPB. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,689,149 discloses a balloon occlusion device for aspirating embolic material from a blood vessel, such as from the aorta during cardiac surgery. The device includes an arterial cannula having a proximal end adapted to receive blood from a bypass-oxygenator machine, a distal end adapted to enter an artery, and a blood flow lumen extending between the proximal end and an outlet on the distal end. The cannula has an aspiration port proximate to the outlet, which communicates with an aspiration lumen. The cannula also includes an inflatable balloon attached to the cannula between the outlet and the aspiration port and capable of assuming an inflated condition for occluding a blood vessel. To use the device, the distal end of the cannula is introduced into a blood vessel, such as the aorta, the outlet is oriented downstream for delivering blood, and the balloon is inflated to occlude the vessel. In operation, fluid may then be flushed into and aspirated out through the aspiration port to remove loose embolic material from the vessel upstream of the balloon. Optionally, the device may include a second deployable balloon for further occluding the vessel at a second location.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,726,651 discloses methods, systems and devices for performing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), cardioplegic arrest, suction of fluid from the aorta to remove embolic or other fluid from the general circulation and the selective segmentation of the arterial system to perform differential perfusion eliminating hypoperfusion. An aortic catheter having an arch lumen which extends at least in part along the length of the catheter shaft has a proximal opening coupled to a CPB machine and a distal arch opening. A corporeal lumen extends at least in part along the length of the catheter shaft and has a proximal opening coupled to a CPB machine and a distal corporeal opening. A suction lumen extends at least in part along the length of the catheter shaft and has a proximal suction opening coupled to a suction source and a distal suction opening residing in the aortic lumen of a patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,905 discloses a method and apparatus used during cardiac surgery for reducing release of embolized air and particulate matter into general body circulatory system are disclosed. The method uses a catheter apparatus having an inflation lumen, an occlusive balloon, a suction lumen and a perfusion lumen. The catheter is inserted or navigated to into an aortic root and positioned so a suction opening communicates upstream of the aortic root and a perfusion opening communicates downstream of the suction opening. The patient's heart is stopped and the occlusive balloon is inflated to occlude the aorta. Cardiac surgery is performed and when the patient's heart is restarted the blood pumped by the heart during its first few contractions is suctioned through the suction opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,470,363 discloses a number of ultrasonic devices for preventing microbubbles and/or microparticles from reaching the brain during a percutaneous cardiological intervention (PCI) or cardiac surgery.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,724 discloses an aortic cannula having one tube for blood perfusion, and another tube for monitoring arterial pressure.